Even healthy families experience situations where they can benefit from guidance to regain positive connection. If this is happening to your family, we can help.

Experienced therapists at Fox Valley Institute can help you see how your family system works, how the individual family members within the system are interconnected and how each person’s patterns of relating affects the whole.

Families are like a mobile. Each member, like the pieces hanging from the mobile, is interconnected. When one piece moves, the whole mobile moves. If one piece is disconnected, or trying to sustain too much of the load, the mobile is out of balance and ineffective.

To understand the individual, is to know his or her place in the system. People simply cannot be understood in isolation from one another. Thus, one family member cannot be a problem in isolation. They simply are part of a struggling system.

Here are some examples of ways family therapy can help you to understand and change your family patterns:

Understand how the specific ways your family relates define the personality and functionality of your system

Clearly see how each part of the system affects the others, whether positive or negative

Identify the family rules and roles created to protect your family system, whether in times of health or dysfunction

Assess how boundaries ñ whether they exist in extremes or not at all — are affecting the functionality and quality of your family relationships

Recognize how your particular family system adapts to change in response to its members and the environment

Distinguish dysfunctional patterns within family systems

Differentiate normal changes in the family system (predictable life cycle changes) from crisis

Family systems are self-reflective. We have the capacity to examine our own behavior and use our knowledge to set goals and affect change. We do not have to accept things as they are, we can always strive for better connection and effectiveness.

Marriage and Family Therapy: Who needs it? Where to find it? http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/res-127.pdf

At Fox Valley Institute, we offer a confidential, safe and comfortable space for our clients. From evening and weekend appointment times, to our warm and soothing waiting room, your well-being is a priority.
To make an appointment at Fox Valley Institute, click “Contact Us” at the bottom of this page.

Is your family in distress?

Is alcohol, prescription drugs or street drugs used excessively by anyone in your family?
__Yes
__No
Does anyone complain of unexplained fatigue or illness?
__Yes
__No
Are discussions about or between a spouse, child, or parent stressful? Is there blaming or fault-finding?
__Yes
__No
Are there concerns about excessive anger, withdrawal, or acting out by a spouse, child or parent?
__Yes
__No
Does a spouse, child or parent have questionable or unexplained physical injuries?
__Yes
__No
Are self-deprecation, abuse of food or drugs, attempted suicide or other self-destructive behaviors apparent?
__Yes
__No
Does a family member regularly feel lonely, isolated, moody or depressed?
__Yes
__No
Is there marital distress or marital dissatisfaction?
__Yes
__No
Does a child have learning difficulties, behavioral problems or low grades with no physical or intellectual basis?
__Yes
__No
Does a child run away, break laws or become involved in the juvenile justice system?
__Yes
__No
Does the family have closed communication? Is it unable to discuss disagreements and find solutions to problems?
__Yes
__No
Do family problems persist, despite efforts to resolve them?
__Yes
__No
Has a marriage, divorce or loss of a family member changed the quality of your family communication?
__Yes
__No

The more “Yes” answers given, the higher level of family distress and dysfunction. Any of these issues can constitute a need for family counseling.